top of page
author Michael Tougias

Michael J. Tougias is a New York Times bestselling author and co-author of 30 books for adults and 7 for children and young adults.
 
Among his bestsellers are The Finest Hours (Disney Motion Pictures' version opened in 45 countries in January 2016), Fatal Forecast, Overboard, King Philip's War, and Extreme Survival: Lessons Learned.
 
 
 

Tougias lectures across the country on each of his book topics. He also offers leadership/inspirational programs for business groups, and has spoken to companies and organizations such as General Dynamics, Raytheon, Massachusetts School Library Association, New York University Surgeons Round Table and many more.

THE FINEST HOURS
THE WATERS BETWEEN US 
book The Finest Hours

"This is the seascape of The Perfect Storm, and the authors do justice to the peril in a tight account of the action... An excellent entry in the disaster-at-sea genre.” -- Booklist

 

“A blockbuster account of tragedy at sea.” -- The Providence Journal

In a 1952 nor’easter, the distress of two ships off Cape Cod initiated a dramatic Coast Guard operation recounted here. Both vessels were WWII surplus, cheaply built, unwisely kept in service, and broken in two by the storm. All four halves floated and the narrative tracks four separate search-and-rescue efforts.

The most prominent  rescue, in the press at the time and in official honors conferred afterward, concerned one motorized lifeboat, a scant 36 feet long and operated by four men, dispatched to do battle with the maelstrom’s towering waves.

 

This is how real heroes are made.

The 36500 coming back into Chatham, a tiny rescue craft for the number of people stranded on the stern of the Pendleton.

NEW BOOK!
Waters cover.jpg

“The Waters Between Us is a song of praise to the outdoors, an apology for boyhood misunderstandings, and a loving appreciation for a father's whose grace, joy and kindness remained steadfast in the face of tragedy.” — Sy Montgomery, National Book Award Finalist and NY Times Bestselling Author

Boyhood in the 1960s and ‘70s was a time for exploration and mischief. Author Michael Tougias found more than his share of misadventures in the woods and on the water: some life-threatening but others innocently hilarious.

 

Over time – and after reading a multitude of adventure books -- these experiences took shape in his quest to be a mountain man, owning a cabin in the forest and living off the land. Part of that dream would come true, but only after a family tragedy that shook his world and forced changes in his life.

 

This is also a story of a complex and strained relationship between father and son, the efforts at understanding, and ultimately respect and devotion.

#5 Dad in Army.jpg
M. Tougias by River (1).jpg
Extreme Survival
Cover Final 6.14.jpeg

Inspiring Stories of Resilience and Survival

Each page is filled with the amazing arc of a human spirit exceeding all bounds, yet returning us, as readers, to what it means to be wholly human, humane, selfless, yet aware of one’s self—call it identity, our authentic selves, a grasp of what’s meaningful in one’s life. Tougias’ reporting and storytelling has appeal for armchair adventurers, historians of the extreme, for parents and families, teachers, civic leaders, those in business, and all of us in leadership positions large or small, who ask, ‘How do I make the most of this moment?' ”
—Doug Stanton, #1 New York Times bestselling author of In Harm’s Way and Horse Soldiers

Michael Tougias converts the wisdom of survivors into advice we can all use to light up the darkness.
—Amanda Ripley, bestselling author of The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes—and Why

 

When faced with unimaginable circumstances, how do you find a way to push through? To answer this question of survival against all odds, New York Times bestselling author Michael Tougias interviewed over 100 people with harrowing experiences, first chronicling their stories, then discussing in detail the lessons they learned. Both an exciting and informative read, Extreme Survival provides the entertainment, and exceptional research fans of Tougias have come to expect.


Tougias shares what each of us is capable of when under pressure. Making it through these situations requires that these techniques kick in at just the right time! From The Finest Hours to Rescue of the Bounty, Michael Tougias has established himself as an expert on deep survival. Learn how to rise against the odds in your personal and professional life by implementing this resilient mindset.

bottom of page